Home
by sashasul
Summary: This is a sequel to my story "Time". If you have not read that, I would recommend you read it first as this one takes plot points from it. During a period of challenges and self-doubt, an old nemesis steps back into Kara/Supergirl's life. Will she be able to overcome it or will it consume her; taking her away from her sister and those she loves?
1. Chapter 1

_**Prologue**_

 _In the morning, we will see her._

 _We've had brief encounters since our foray but, tomorrow will be different._

 _It will be a new beginning._

 _We know how it will transpire._

 _A call will be put out to assemble the main players within the government. Arrogant officers and unscrupulous politicians will take center stage, each fighting to assert their will upon the others. Of course, J'onn Jones and Alex Danvers will be in attendance. But, our attention will be on her. We'll come face to face and she'll extend a welcoming hand but, she won't recognize us. Our acquired form, along with contact lenses have transformed us. We will be just another face in the crowd; a helpful colleague offering assistance._

 _Her demeanor will be open and attentive to the demands that will be placed upon her. She'll pacify the importunate politicians and discuss strategy with the generals. They'll push and pull at her to see things their way. She will graciously listen and reassure their concerns until she is forced to abruptly leave to fulfill her heroic duties. Because that is how the world knows her. That is who she portrays._

 _But, we know differently._

 _We know that anger, fear and despair lie under the surface. We've stood in its wrath, felt its shiver and held onto its sorrow._

 _We know that turmoil and desolation fester at the core. They burn through her as a fire rages through a forest._

 _These human weaknesses consume her but, they're pliable. And when we were one with her, they didn't exist._

 _Her memories of us are still raw. We sense them. She's been advised not to trust us; told that we're a threat. That is on us. We underestimated those around her. We miscalculated her connection to this world and to these people. That was our mistake._

 _This time, there won't be any mistakes._


	2. Chapter 2

Kara Danvers hated briefings, specifically DEO briefings and especially those that were scheduled for early morning. The rigid formality and expectation to conform to a single idea stood in deep contrast to how Kara defined herself. It was a brutal exercise and the assumption that she would be able to endure the task before the sun even had time to get comfortable on the horizon was baffling to her. Thankfully, at the moment, her brisk stride was leading her closer to the only salvation that could make the task bearable: a box of donuts and warm coffee.

"Hey, Kara!" Alex's voice bounced off the hallway behind her. "Wait up."

Kara cast a glance back and slowed her pace by a miniscule. "Alex, I'm already running late and you know I need my sugar and the nectar of the gods to be able to get through this meeting." She loved her sister dearly but, sometimes she had the worse timing.

"Well, if you would allow yourself more time in the mornings, you wouldn't be late and you would actually have time to enjoy your vices in the comfort of your own home." Alex breathlessly proclaimed as she finally caught up to Kara. It always amazed Alex that, even with the power of superspeed and flight, Kara still consistently ran behind schedule.

"Yeah, well, things don't always work out like we plan and we don't all have the DEO regime embedded in our DNA." Kara retorted.

"Ha, ha, you're hilarious." Alex altered between a brisk walk and a jog to stay with Kara's pace. "Kara, I need to talk to you before the briefing."

"So, talk."

"Slow down for a minute."

"No time."

"Kara, I can't talk and walk this fast."

"Never stopped you before."

Frustration coupled with Alex's current stress level, propelled her to reach out for the hem of Kara's cape and pull back. The action caught Kara off balance which allowed Alex enough time to plant herself squarely in front of Kara.

"Hey! What'd you do that for?" Kara asked. She regained her footing and made an attempt to step past Alex to continue on her quest but, the scowl on Alex's face gave her pause.

"I told you, I need to talk to you. It's important, Kara." Alex replied.

"What is it?" Kara pulled at the collar of her suit and readjusted the cape.

"The briefing this morning." She placed her hands on her hips. "It's not just a routine DEO update. Military officers and Washington politicians will be there and they're not very happy." Alex relayed.

"So, that's nothing new. They're not happy unless they're slashing some program or invading a foreign country." Kara slid past Alex and continued up the hallway.

"Yeah, well now it's the DEO that they're wanting to slash." Alex stated to Kara's retreating back.

"What?" Kara stopped and turned back to Alex. "What do you mean?"

Alex made her way toward Kara. "As you know, we've had a large increase in crime these last few months."

"Yeah, I'm well aware."

"Well, the "powers that be" think that more funding should go towards local law enforcement to help fight this crime wave and they think the best place to find that money is from the DEO budget."

"But, that doesn't make any sense. Why would they cut the DEO? You're an important part of fighting that crime?"

Alex shook her head. "Technically, we're not. The DEO is tasked with monitoring extra-terrestrials; the crimes that we are seeing now are human initiated. These officials believe that the probability of an alien threat is low and that the DEO resources could be better utilized elsewhere."

"Well, that's just crazy!" Kara threw up her hands in disgust, turned on her heels and resumed her trek to the break room. "Just because we haven't had an alien attack for the last few months doesn't mean that there isn't one lurking around the next corner."

Alex trudged after her. "They think that any alien skirmish can be handled by you."

"Seriously?" Kara rounded the corner of the break room doorway and headed for the donuts and coffee. "I'm already spending all my time trying to keep this city safe from bad guys. My head hasn't hit the pillow for more than a couple hours each night and I'm not sure how much longer it'll be before Lena fires me from CatCo." Kara shoved part of a cruller into her mouth in frustration. "I need you guys, Alex," she mumbled through the food.

"I'm sorry. I sure as hell don't like it either but, I don't know what to tell you." Alex picked through the donuts, found one loaded with sugar and placed it on a plate. "If we can't find a way to convince these people not to shut us down, I'll be sharing my donut time with gangbangers and drug addicts."

* * *

The briefing room was packed by the time Kara and Alex arrived. Tensions were high, discussions heated. They spotted Hank along the back wall and began making their way to him. Frequent stops by admiring officials wanting an introduction to Supergirl made it a tedious task. Finally, they were able to break out of the crowd and slide in next to Hank just as the meeting was to begin.

A stout man wearing a military uniform with four stars lined along the shoulder and adorned with rows of multiple ribbons on the left chest stepped to the front of the room. He stood tall and carried himself with an unmistakable air of authority that instantly quieted the room. When he turned to face the crowd, Kara could make out the name, ""Bradley" etched on the nameplate pinned to his uniform.

He cleared his throat and addressed the members. "Good morning. I wish I could be standing up here under better circumstances but, unfortunately, I am not. If you have been watching the carnage displayed every night on the evening news for the last few weeks, you are aware that National City has seen an uptick in crime over the past month." A murmur rippled through the crowd. "In fact, I have been advised that the rate has actually increased over 45% from the last month and that, on an average, there have been 10 times more violent crimes committed daily."

The chatter increased and the general paused to allow time for the information to digest.

"Our goal today is to discuss possible solutions to combat this problem," he continued. "While the military is generally not involved in local issues, the mayor, governor and president have requested that local, state and federal agencies work together to get this matter resolved quickly. As a result, a number of proposals that will be discussed this morning will involve inter-agency cooperation. To speak on one such proposal, we have Congressman Nelson," General Bradley said. "Congressman Nelson."

Hank shifted his weight and shot a disturbed look to Kara and Alex.

General Bradley sat down and a man in utter contrast to him took his place up front. He took a moment, his dark, hardened eyes scanning each face and pausing briefly on Kara, before beginning. "Thank you, General Bradley," Nelson started. "One of the main roadblocks that we have found in combating this problem has been a lack of personnel and resources in National City's police department. A few years ago, when Supergirl came on the scene, crime became almost negligible and the city was able to save resources by reducing the number of officers on duty." Nelson looked to Kara. "For that Supergirl, National City thanks you."

All heads turned to find Supergirl. Kara quickly pulled herself up from the slouching position she held against the wall and nodded acknowledgement to Congressman Nelson.

"However, for whatever reason, the crime rate has recently increased and because of the earlier reductions, we have found that there are now not enough trained officers in place to provide adequate enforcement," Nelson continued. "The city does plan on hiring more personnel but, training those officers would take valuable time, which is not something that we can afford." Nelson shifted his attention to Hank.

"Director Henshaw. I've been told that the number of alien incidents occurring across the city is quite low. Is that correct?" Nelson asked.

Hank took a minute to carefully formulate an answer. "Well, yes, it is true that we haven't had any major encounters for the past few months but-"

"And with the lead that we dispersed into the air earlier this year, a Daximite return should no longer be a concern, correct?" Nelson interjected.

"Yes, but-" Hank began.

"Thank you, Director Henshaw." Nelson again interceded and turned his attention back to the room. "The DEO is an agency with an abundance of highly trained investigators." Hank glanced to Kara and Alex and shook his head in frustration. "Investigators who would be more than capable of immediately stepping into positions on the police force. And with the number of alien incidents at a low, now would be the time to utilize the resources that we already have at hand."

Again, an undertone went through the group.

"Are you suggesting that we take the agents from the DEO?" A voice rose from the crowd.

"Just because alien incidents are low doesn't mean they still don't occur. Who would take care of them if the DEO is reduced?" A second asked.

"Yes, I am suggesting a reduction in DEO staff. And, I believe that we just spoke of someone who has proven that she is more than capable of handling any alien attacks." Nelson turned to Kara. "Supergirl."

The room followed his gaze and sat in anticipation for Supergirl's response. Taking her cue, Kara glanced at Alex, threw back her shoulders and took a step forward.

"Congressman Nelson, I do appreciate the vote of confidence and I understand the apprehension everyone feels but, I believe that we need to think twice about cutting the DEO." She moved further into the room to make a connection with the group. "Even before I arrived, the DEO has been an integral part of the integration of alien and human population." She dropped a foot back to highlight Alex and Hank. "It has been because of their history of commitment to monitoring and working with the community that the alien crime rate has remained insignificant." She turned and faced the crowd again. "Yes, we are now seeing an increase in crime but, that crime would be compounded if the DEO wasn't in place to deter and assist the alien population. Furthermore, the DEO plays an important role in providing me with assistance. Yes, I can stop alien crime but, I can't be everywhere to prevent it. They can. If the DEO is eliminated, I believe that we will see the overall crime rate will increase even further."

Finished with her statement, Kara began a retreat back to her original position when she picked up on the all too familiar sound of sirens in the distance.

"Yes, but Supergirl -"

"If you'll excuse me," she interrupted, "I am needed elsewhere." Within seconds, she exited the room and took to the sky.

* * *

The brilliant orange and red sunlight scattered across a powdered blue sky as Kara shot across town and the tension she had been carrying finally slipped away. It was up here, where the sun's rays renewed her, that the world seemed fresh and innocent. It was against this backdrop that she often found her mind drifting to her time on Krypton with her mother and father. And it was here that memories of family outings, celebrations with friends and even snippets of conversations with her parents tugged at her heart.

 _Home_ , she thought.

The screams of a woman snapped Kara out of her reminiscing . Scanning the distance ahead, she could see a woman and man sliding along the foundation of a building. The man was staggered behind the woman with one arm wrapped around her neck and a gun pointed to her head with the other. A lone police car was parked parallel to the couple and an officer stood behind it, armed and in a defensive stance.

Kara could see reinforcements speeding down the streets a few blocks away but, she knew that she would be able to get to the scene first and be able to get it under control without anyone getting hurt. She notched up her flight speed and headed closer to the confrontation.

As she neared the site, a haze seeped across the path in front of her, turning the sky from a brilliant blue to a muted, muddy hue of grey. Kara swiped at the particles of dust that swarmed her head and continued toward her destination. But, the further she went, the more the dust intensified and a burning sensation began to form in the back of her throat.

"Kara," a familiar voice, distant but strong called to her, stopping her mid-flight. She hung in the sky and tilted her head, straining to hear.

As she waited, the dust moved around her, dancing with the whispering wind.

 _My ears must have picked up some interference_ , Kara thought after a minute of silence. She turned to resume her original flight.

"Kara." The voice called out again, this time very clear and distinct. Kara's heart skipped a beat and she immediately stopped.

She placed her forearm up next to her mouth to try to block out some of the dust that continued to follow behind her.

"Mom?" She hesitantly inquired.

"Kara," the voice rang out from the haze in response.

The crisis at hand forgotten, Kara turned back and sped deeper into the haze in search for the source calling her name.

"Mom? Where are you?" The air thickened the further she went, igniting her lungs and overtaking her senses, forcing her to pull-up from her flight once again. A feeling of nausea began to form in the pit of her stomach and the weight from her arms became difficult to maneuver. She forced a hand up to her face to try to create some fresh air but, there wasn't any to be found.

"Kara, what's going on?" Winn, who had been monitoring what was supposed to be a routine call broke in on COMMs. "Why did you turn around?" His muffled voice sounded a thousand miles away.

"Winn, I-"

"Kara, come to me," the voice cried from the distance.

 _Mom?_ Kara, her energy dwindling, bobbed in the sky, struggling to stay upright.

"Kara," Winn called out again but, disorientation along with a ringing screamed across Kara's head and his hail went unanswered. The skyline began to swim and Kara's body felt disjointed from her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut to try to make it all stop; to maintain some equilibrium.

The wind sped up and the dust bounced with glee.

Every breath became a struggle.

Every thought became scrambled.

She was losing control.

"Alex," a whisper, slurred and almost indistinct, went across the COMMs.

"Kara. What's wrong?" Alex, who had picked up on COMMs when notified about Kara's distress, asked.

Kara's head suddenly stopped swimming, the pulsating noise in her ears dissipated and the sun came into view.

 _It's so bright, so peaceful_.

The light rushed to her, slicing through the middle of a darkness that began to overtake her vision, creating a tunnel.

Time slowed down.

"Kara?" Alex repeated, her voice rising with concern.

But, Kara no longer heard her. The tunnel began to narrow until finally, blackness filled the sky. Her unyielding body relaxed, her eyes rolled back and she fell from the sky.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** : Thank you for the reviews. I really appreciate getting the feedback.

* * *

 _Orange blossoms, chamomile, and lime. They linger in the air and I know that my mother is near. I feel the light touch of her hand on my cheek and, for just a moment before opening my eyes, I lie still, relishing in the sensation. How I miss this comfort, this reassurance and this tenderness that is unique to her. She calls my name to wake and I begrudgingly comply. Her face dances before me as I wipe the sleep from my eyes and I smile. I reach to tangle my fingers through the waves of auburn hair that fall over her shoulders. "It's almost time," she says._

"Kara. Come on, Kara, wake up."

A voice called to Kara, urgent and persistent. A woman's voice that would not let her stay in her sleep but kept coaxing her back to consciousness.

"Mom?" Kara mumbled from her hazy state.

"No Kara. You need to wake up."

Kara opened her eyes and saw the shadow of a figure, concealed by the bright light on the ceiling behind it, leaning over her. The figure moved into the light, blocking it and Dr. Hamilton's face came into view.

"Welcome back to the world, Kara."

Kara strained herself to get to a sitting position on the table. She was in the DEO. How did she get here? The last thing she remembered was flying toward a hostage situation.

"What happened? Why am I here?"

"You don't remember? We were hoping that you could tell us," Alex's voice came from behind Dr. Hamilton as she entered the room and approached Kara.

Kara struggled to think through the lifting fog in her head. There was something there. A feeling of peacefulness, contentment. But, she couldn't quite yet grasp it.

She looked at Alex and shook her head. "No. I don't."

Alex stood in front of Kara, a look of concern etched across her face. "You passed out and fell from the sky, Kara. You've been here since yesterday."

"We've been monitoring you and haven't been able to find any medical reason to explain why you would have passed out," Dr. Hamilton inserted. "How are you feeling now?"

 _Confused. Drained. Vulnerable. Heartsick._ Kara thought.

"I'm fine," she replied. She looked to Alex and quickly shifted gears. "What happened with the hostage situation?"

Alex shot a glance to Dr. Hamilton contemplating her answer. "Well, it was a bank robbery and the hostage was a clerk at the bank," Alex started. "The suspect got away but, the clerk was able to escape by jumping out of the vehicle that was used to flee the crime scene. She suffered some injuries from the fall but, she's expected to make a full recovery."

A silence passed as Kara absorbed the news, letting her own implication of guilt settle into her stomach. She hung her head. "I should have been there."

Kara's self-blame was the reason Alex had hesitated on her response. From the time that she arrived on Earth, Kara always was one to bear the burdens of everyone else's pain. And if she felt that that pain was a result of her actions, the impact cut her even deeper. Alex tried to shield Kara from those situations but, it was a difficult task, made almost impossible now that she was Supergirl.

"Kara, you can't be everywhere. And the woman was able to get away; she's going to be okay." Alex tried to reassure her.

Kara looked up at Alex and Alex could see the doubt that still lingered. Her words had no impact.

"I need to go," Kara replied, brushing off Alex's attempt of solace. "I have to get to work."

"Typical Kara," Dr. Hamilton said, "always eager to get back at it." She shook her head. "Okay, Kara. I can't find any medical reason for you to stay, so you're free to go." She turned to leave the room, "let me know if you remember anything," she threw out at she left.

Kara started to slide off the table when Alex placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kara, wait a minute. We need to talk about what just happened before you go."

"What about it? I told you that I don't remember anything, Alex."

"Yes, I know but, you didn't just pass out and fall, Kara. There was more to it and we need to figure out why it happened."

Alex eased back onto her heels. "Winn said that you were on your way to the scene when you suddenly stopped, turned and flew in a different direction. He said that you seemed disoriented, distressed, like you were searching for something. He said you called out for Alura."

 _Mom. Dust._ _Suffocating. Falling._ The images flashed through Kara's mind. Her mother's voice rang in her ears. _But that was all a dream, wasn't?_

"I-", she started and stopped. Alex stood in front of her, jaw set, lips set in a grim line. Alex, who had her own problems and didn't need to worry about a sister who was hallucinating from a moment of homesickness.

She turned her head toward the opposite wall, avoiding Alex's prying eyes. "I don't know, Alex. Everything is just a blur. I think it's all just from the stress and exhaustion of the last few weeks."

At least that part was true. Her body did feel weak and in desperate need of some rest.

But, Kara's denial that anything was wrong didn't fly with Alex. She knew Kara far too long; had experienced Kara's attempt at covering up before and knew how inept she was at it. Kara was lying to her now and she didn't know why but, she was willing to let it drop. For now.

"Okay Kara. We can figure it out later." She stepped back to give Kara some space. "Why don't you go home, get some rest. I'm sure James can find some excuse to give Lena."

"As much as I would love to, I can't. I have to get to work. I've already missed so much and now I'm late. Besides, I don't want to have to put James in that position."

Kara pushed herself off the table and began to head out the door when she stopped and pivoted back to Alex.

"I almost forgot, what happened with the briefing?"

Alex shook her head. "Nothing yet. Congressman Nelson, General Bradley and a few others are meeting with Hank later this afternoon to discuss the idea further. Hopefully, Hank will be able to convince them to find a solution that doesn't involve dismantling of the DEO and placing us into the local PD."

"Well, if there is anything more I can do, let me know." Kara said. "I'll call you later," she added as she left the room.

* * *

The frenzied atmosphere at Catco gave Kara an advantage in her strategy to be inconspicuous as she stepped off the elevator and scurried her way through the office. Her goal - making it to her desk without running into Lena and being confronted with the inevitable questions that would follow. While she was successful in that objective, her mission wasn't a complete success as James caught up with her sliding into her cubicle.

"Kara," he noted just as she was positioning herself into her desk chair. "It's nice to see that you were able to finally find your way into the office today. Are you planning on staying or will this be just a brief appearance?" He asked with a unusual bit of edge to his voice.

Kara, righting herself after leaning over to secure her purse on the floor next to her desk, tightened up her back and shoulders at the sharp tone of his question. _Great, this is all I need_.

"I'm sorry, James," she began, "I had every intention of being here on-time. It was - it's just difficult right now with the city going crazy over the crime spree."

She really didn't want to have to explain yesterday's events. It was confusing and the unknown made her feel weak. Vulnerable. Her uneasiness about the situation pushed her up out of the chair, toward the small cabinet at the end of her cubicle and away from James' pressing stare.

As she passed him, James caught sight of the shadows that framed her eyes and the weariness laced within her voice. He had seen the news reports about the robbery from the previous day and knew that there were questions about why Supergirl hadn't shown up. He immediately regretted his abruptness and softened his tone.

"Yeah, I saw the news reports on the bank robbery. Is everything okay?"

Kara looked up from the file that she pulled out of the cabinet. "Everything's fine. It's just been hard keeping the city safe and doing my job here at Catco."

James nodded. "This crime wave has hit everyone. We've been scrambling here to try and stay in front of the stories but, -"

A man walking by the cubicle bumped into Kara, his shoulder making contact with hers, throwing both her and the man slightly off balance and nearly causing her to drop the file she was examining. As they worked to regain their balance, the man leaned in and lightly blew a puff of air, infused with particles of dust, into Kara's face. They both straightened. The man gave a curt apology and moved on.

The altercation happened so quickly that James, who observed it, didn't notice the specifics of the man's actions. He continued briefing Kara on the details of the past day.

However, Kara didn't hear it. She stood still. A dullness slid across her forehead and her eyes glazed over, transfixed upon the empty area of space that sat in front of her. James' words faded into the background and an image of a city consumed her vision.

 _I stand in the middle of a wide skywalk, enclosed by a glass platform that floats around a tower, encircling it. The steel body of the tower stretches high above the city; its frame glistens red from the glow of the sun that casts its rays down on it. Vibrations travel from beams of the suspended floor up my legs, tickling the back of my knees before coming to rest at my hips. Squeals puncture the silence and my eyes are drawn to a group of children surrounding an animated, petite woman who is pointing out at the vast city. I recognize them. These are my classmates. This is Nyra, my instructor. This is my home._

" _Look at that horizon Kara," a voice calls to me. I turn and find Jayla standing at my side, her hands pressed up to the glass that lines the walkway. Her long, dark hair has fallen forward and cups the side of her round, olive face._ _"I would love to come up here in the evening and watch the sun set. Wouldn't that be beautiful?" She turns away from the glass and looks at me, her dark, chocolate eyes piercing through my heart._ _"Come with me, Kara."_

"Jayla." Kara whispered.

"Kara?"

James' voice broke into the image and slowly, Krypton's horizon started to fall away.

" _Don't go, Kara." Jayla pleaded._

Fixtures of the office reappeared, looming in the shadows around her. The room slanted and Kara staggered unsteadily. James, stepped forward and grabbed her elbow, steadying her.

"Are you okay, Kara?"

Kara focused in on James' face, helping ground her back into reality. Her heart pounded in her chest and she leaned on her desk.

"Yeah," she meekly replied once she felt like she was back on solid ground. _What just happened?_

"Are you sure? I've been calling your name for the last minute and you just called me Jayla," James replied, unconvinced.

"Yes, I said I was fine, didn't I," she snapped. She immediately regretted her tone and her face fell. She sunk into her desk chair. "I'm sorry, James." _I need to get it together_. She sagged over her desk and pulled at her forehead. "I'm just frustrated and tired and I took it out on you."

Which was true. She hadn't been able to shake the lethargy that had been following her since she woke up in the DEO earlier. And now this...this daydreaming in the middle of a conversation had left her a bit unhinged.

"Once I get a chance to get some rest, everything will back to normal," she said, trying to convince herself as well as James.

James rubbed a hand over his jaw. "I wish I could give that to you but, I need you on an assignment. The mayor and other officials are meeting at City Hall. Apparently, they're putting together a joint task force to help combat the crime. We want to run a story on it in our next issue so, I need you to go down there and get the details."

Kara nodded. "Yeah, I've heard about it and would like to find out more myself."

She grabbed her purse off the floor.

"I'll get it done," she assured him. "And, again, I'm sorry for lashing out at you, James," she said as she left the cubicle.

Kara made her way down the hallway. She stood at the elevator, politely mingling with others, her small smile teetering on the edge. As she waited, the man responsible for her earlier encounter watched from afar. His stern expression slid into a sneer and when she stepped onto the elevator, he pulled out his phone and made a call.


	4. Chapter 4

_Today, we've moved closer. This world, these people, they reside deep within her. They have driven her hopes, her dreams. But each of our interactions chips away at it. Each particle of dust, each Kryptonion soul, enters and takes a piece of that energy. She now breathes a part of us._

 _Even though the task is tedious, we savor these moments with her. Our trespasses across her soul explore every corner of its existence. And each time, there is a thrill taking her back to her home, to experience firsthand the emotions and the conflict that each encounter emits within her. Soon, her eyes will be opened and she will understand that this world and its people are not her own. Her life here will become distinguished with turmoil and frustration and she will realize that choices will need to be made. And it is then that we will be one again. That she will come home._

 _But, for now we must remain patient. For now, we will walk this earth and we will wait for her._

* * *

The joint task force meeting had just concluded by the time Kara finally arrived at City Hall. As she walked through the hallway, men and women in business suits and military uniforms pushed by her. Hank stepped out of the meeting room and made his way to an area across the hall. He was just pulling out his phone when Kara approached him.

"Hank, how did the meeting go?" Kara asked.

"Hey." He glanced at her and then back across the hallway toward the room he just left. He jerked his head to the side and walked further down the hallway, out of the prying eyes and ears of the task force. Kara followed.

As they moved down the hallway, they passed oversized vintage photos of National City buildings and portraits of the city's founding fathers. Kara's thoughts turned to those men and their lives. What propelled them to leave the security of their surroundings, their homes and seek out new land. Did they leave willingly or were they forced to leave because of some type of disaster? Did their families go with them or did they travel alone? How hard was it to make a new home in a new land? Would she ever feel at home here?

"Not well I'm afraid," Hank's reply interrupted her thoughts, fortunately, as she hadn't been paying attention and almost ran into him when he stopped walking. "I was actually just calling your sister to let her know the details."

She quickly pulled up. "Why? What did they decide?"

"They're going to run the program in phases. At the moment, they will pull from areas that they have classified as non-essential. Some of the techs and lower level agents will be put into the police departments. After evaluating the results, they will determine what, if any, other personnel need to be added."

"Really?" Kara pushed her glasses up on her nose. "They're actually going through with it. And there isn't anything that you can do?"

Hank shook his head. "If it were just politicians and the military making these decisions, then I would have more input and leverage. But, the president has authorized it so, my hands are tied."

"It's not your fault, Hank. And, I'm sorry that you have been put into this situation." She glanced back at the door to the meeting room. "I guess I should get in there before they leave so I can get information for this article." Hank nodded at her. "I'll see you at the DEO later."

Kara walked back to the room and poked her head around the door frame. She saw General Bradley, Congressman Nelson, the mayor and another man still in the room, sitting at a long wooden table, their heads together discussing some issue. She decided to forge ahead, uninvited and hope for the best.

"Excuse me." Kara approached them. "I'm Kara Danvers. I work for CatCo and was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about the task force."

All four men quickly pulled from their discussion. "Danvers?" Nelson questioned. "Is that the same Danvers that works at the DEO?"

Kara was intrigued that the Congressman knew about Alex. Information on individual agents of the DEO was restricted for the general public. "Yes, that is my sister," she replied. "You know her?"

"I have made it a point to know all about the DEO. It would be neglectful on my part to not know details on an organization that plays a pivotal role in the safety of this city," Congressman Nelson stated. "I assume that she has told you of our plan to integrate the DEO into the local law enforcement."

"Well, uh, yes." Kara was briefly taken aback. She didn't want to throw Alex under the bus but, she also couldn't tell him that her information was a result of her appearance as Supergirl at the DEO briefing. "Alex just mentioned that she might be doing some work for the local PD," she told him, leaving out some of the other, more revealing details.

"So, you are planning on dismantling the DEO, then?" She redirected the conversation as she took a seat in one of the empty chairs across from the men and pulled out her notebook and a pen.

"I wouldn't say dismantle," General Bradley responded. "We understand the role that the DEO plays in the alien community and we don't want to hamper that. We just need their assistance until local law enforcement can manage on their own."

"Yes, especially if Supergirl isn't going to show up," the unnamed man at the end of the table muttered.

Kara snapped her head toward the man. What was he insinuating?

"What do you mean?"

He snickered. "Well, she hasn't been that reliable lately. We were lucky the other day with the bank robbery incident. If it hadn't been for the victim's own intervention, we would have ended up with another death in the city. Supergirl never did show up to help."

"She's busy!" Kara cried out.

 _How ungrateful these humans are. If it wasn't for me, hundreds would be hurt, even killed. I am keeping this city safe, sacrificing my own happiness in the process. And this man has the nerve to question my dependability because of one incident. Unbelievable!_

Kara shook the thought from her head. _Where did that come from?_ She shifted her weight in the chair, uncrossed her legs and took a deep breath.

"I mean, she seems to be trying. There's a lot of crime to cover and it's difficult for one person, even a superhero, to be in two places at one time," she added.

"We understand that," General Bradley replied. "And no one here is suggesting anything different," he glared down the table to the unknown man, "isn't that correct Mr. Ashford?" The man gave a noncommittal huff and dropped his head to look down at his hands. Bradley looked back at Kara. "We just need a way to keep our heads above the water right now, to keep crime at bay until we can get it better controlled. We see this only as a temporary solution."

Kara nodded and quickly scribbled some notes onto her notepad. Her phone vibrated against her thigh and she glanced down to see an incoming call from Alex. Alex knew Kara was doing an interview and only called during her work for CatCo if it was an emergency. Her interview was going to have to be put on hold. She slid her pen back into the spiral binding of her notebook.

"I'm sorry but, something has come up and I need to leave," she stood up and gathered her materials. "Thank you for your time." As she walked to the exit door, she hit the dial icon for Alex.

"Hey, what's up?" Kara asked when Alex picked up.

"The networks are showing a multi-car chase speeding through the city. Shots are being fired from the vehicles. I think they could use your help."

"On it."

Kara was able to quickly locate the car chase, four cars in all racing through the city. It appeared that the two lead vehicles were being pursued by two others. All of the vehicles were weaving in and out of traffic on the Interstate but one suddenly veered off an exit and a chase vehicle followed it. Because she couldn't stop both at the same time, Kara chose to intervene with those taking the exit since they would be traveling through the downtown and around neighborhoods. Once they were stopped, she could go after the other pair.

She sped up to get ahead of the chase car and dropped down in front of them. The car quickly swerved onto a side street in a business district. Kara followed after them until the car made a sudden stop and 4 men carrying automatic weapons jumped out. They turned and fired at her before taking off on foot. Kara flew after two who were headed toward an alleyway. She tackled one, throwing him onto the ground and stunning him. As she turned to find the other man, she found herself face to face with him. He quickly blew dust into her face causing Kara to instinctively put her hands in front of her. She stumbled back and like the incident earlier, the images around her dissipated and she found herself in an alternate reality.

 _A spacious, cinder-block room and gleaming white granite floor. High ceilings, strings of lights and stark white walls. Racks of test tubes that hold life's secrets, microscopes lit and poised to expose the unknown, centrifuges and incubators separating and growing the undisclosed. My father's lab. My home on lazy afternoons, watching him bring ideas to life, eagerly waiting to be invited to help in those discoveries and hoping for a small portion of time with him._

 _In the slanting light of dusk that breaks through the large windows, I see him standing at a lab table. "Father." He's about the same age as I remember but, the lines that are etched across his forehead and surround his eyes are deeper. He smiles at me as I walk toward him._

" _Are you ready to unlock the secrets?" He asks and lays a reassuring hand on my shoulder._

" _As a scientist_ _and superhero_ , w _e share the same burden, Kara." He turns away from me and grabs a container of barren Krypton dirt. "Our world is tasked with some type of problem." He sprinkles water into the container. "When faced with that incident or a crisis of any type, the people immediately look to us to intervene; to save them." He injects the dirt with a small vial of nuclear-infused liquid, covers it with a glass lid and slides it under the incubator. Very quickly, small blades of grass begin to break through the surface of the dirt. "After each crisis is resolved, the people stop seeking out their own solutions, stop being self-reliant and forget how to protect themselves and their world." The grass continues to grow and spread, pushing to the top and overtaking the container. "They become dependent on us, Kara."_

" _As a result, our desire to help soon becomes a danger to their very existence." The grass turns brown and ignites. The glass container begins to split and crack. "This is our burden, Kara, our dilemma." He grabs my arm and we step away from the table. We watch as the container bursts into flames and explodes. "It is a burden that can kill our people, can destroy our planet."_

 _Father turns to me and grabs my shoulders. "But, it doesn't have to be this way. I destroyed Krypton once but, together, we can save our family and our home. The choice will soon be yours, Kara. Will you continue to walk among these people and be the reason for their destruction or will you walk away, empowering them and be the reason for their survival?"_

The sound of sirens blaring sent Kara tumbling out of the cognitive dimension and back into the physical world. Her head swarmed like a tornado with memories of Krypton bouncing off her skull, crashing into each other. A throbbing ache in her chest began to devour her, sending her heart pounding against her body, cutting into her oxygen supply and propelling her lungs to gasp out for air.

"Oh, Rao!" She grabbed her head with both hands and rocked back and forth. "Stop!" She choked out.

After a few minutes, the memories resided and the booming in her chest slowed. She took in a few deep breaths and lifted her head out of her hands. As her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, she found herself sitting, propped up against a dumpster parked against a city building. It was still daylight but, the world seemed somehow darker, bleak.

For the second time that day, she was left confused and uncertain of where she had been and with a body that felt depleted, disoriented, empty-hearted and forlorn. She pushed herself off the ground, stumbling into the dumpster on her way up. She bent over and placed her hands on her knees, trying to reconnect with this world.

"Car chase. I was taking down the bad guys," she recalled out-loud.

 _Our burden, dependent on us, destruction of planet._ Kara shook her head in an effort to clear away the heaviness.

"No! Focus, Kara!"

She straightened up and looked down the alley only to find a homeless man standing a few feet away, staring at her. Kara forced a smile and nodded a greeting at him. The man gathered his stash of cans and blankets and quickly scurried away.

"Great. Now, I'm scaring away homeless people." She scanned the alley for any sign of the suspects that she had been pursuing earlier but, it was obvious that they had cleared out.

A patrol car sped by her, lights blazing and siren blasting.

"Supergirl!" Alex's anxious voice came across her COMMs. "Supergirl, are you there!?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"What happened? Where have you been? We've been trying to get a hold of you for the last 20 minutes!"

 _Twenty minutes? I was out for twenty minutes?_ "I-uh, I just ran into some unexpected trouble. Are the other vehicles still loose on the city?"

"Forget that. They already got away. Besides, we have a bigger problem. A bomb went off at CatCo about 15 minutes ago."

"A bomb? At CatCo? Was anyone hurt?" Kara shoved the dumpster out of her way and took to the sky.

"Yes, there are multiple injuries. You need to get down there; they can use your help."

"On my way."


	5. Chapter 5

The sun had lifted higher in the sky by the time Kara reached the CatCo building, creating a deep contrast between the brightening glare of the steel building and the dark smoke billowing out of blown out windows and a 10 by 15 foot gaping hole created in two floors above the balcony. Fire engines, ambulances, police cruisers and onlookers littered the streets below. She flew directly onto the damaged balcony floor and through the hole, landing among the debris of hanging ceiling tile rails, electrical wires, falling sheetrock and battered office furniture.

With all the chaos and commotion around the building, the interior of the building was eerily quiet. A red light from a broken smoke alarm intermittently cut through a charcoal smoke that rolled in folds across the floor. Paper snapping from wind gusting in through the cavity of the wall echoed throughout the room. Kara made her way across the area in search for victims. Using her heat vision or an occasional moan from a victim to help guide her, she was able to locate and very carefully pull those she could from the damaged area, flying them down to medical personnel on the ground.

Each return trip took her deeper into the building and closer to the heart of the blast. The victims she found here had more devastating injuries and some were injured beyond her help. She came upon a mangled pile of concrete and broken panels of glass. A groan rose from below it and she began digging through the pile in search of its source. After removing a large piece of wall and exposing the face of the person below, she suddenly pulled back.

"James!" She gasped and continued removing the debris.

After each piece was removed, Kara had a better view of James' condition. He was lying on his side, covered in soot, face streaked in blood. She could tell that he had a broken arm and a few broken ribs but that appeared to be the extent of any major injuries.

"James!" She repeated.

He finally grunted in response, opened his eyes and turned his head toward Kara's voice.

"Kara," he said as he rolled onto his back, sending a sharp pain through his rib cage. He grabbed at his side. "What happened?' He gasped.

"There was an explosion," she said. "I think you're going to be okay. It looks like you just have some broken ribs and your arm is cracked, too. There's blood on your forehead but, it seems to be from superficial cuts."

"An explosion?" He frowned, trying to recreate the last few moments in his mind. "Lena," he heaved when a spark of recognition hit. Using his good arm to push off the floor, he struggled to sit up. "We had just finished a meeting and she was heading toward her elevator when the bomb went off." He frantically looked around the room, trying to get his bearings.

"I'll go find her," Kara told him. "You stay here."

"No, I'm coming with you," he extended a hand up to her, "help me up."

The two of them made their way toward the elevator, picking through the remnants of the CatCo structure and rescuing as many as they could as they went. Along the way, they were met by firefighters who had finally been able to break through to the floor. Not too far from the elevator, they came upon a man sitting against an undamaged support column.

"Supergirl!" The man desperately reached out for her. "Please help me," he cried.

Kara ran to the man and bent down to look him over. He had scratches on his arms and face but, otherwise appeared to be okay.

"You don't seem to have any major injuries," she told him, "you're going to be fine."

"Please, I need to get out of here," his eyes darted around the distressing carcass of the floor. "Take me with you," he pleaded.

"Sir, there isn't anything wrong with you. Your injuries are not life-threatening," she informed him, "go to the exit to get out or, over to the firemen for help."

"Supergirl," James, who was standing a few feet behind her listening to the interaction, hissed.

Kara turned and looked up at him. She stood up and stepped to his position.

"What?" she snapped. "He's not hurt. He can help himself instead of taking time away from those that do need my help." _They have to become self-reliant, quit being so dependent, so needy_.

"He's alone and frightened. Since when do you pass by those who ask for help?" James asked.

"He's-it's just -," Kara stammered. She looked back toward the anxious man. _What's wrong with me? I help people. It's what I do._ "I -."

She turned back to James and nodded. "I'll go take him out. You keep looking for Lena and I'll be right back."

Kara grabbed the man, gave him a few words of assurance and flew him down to the street. When she returned, she found James standing at Lena's private elevator.

"The elevator isn't working. It could be stuck," James said.

Kara pried open the elevator doors and searched the area below. The elevator shaft was filled with smoke but, she could see that the cab of the elevator had stopped about three floors below. One of the cables had snapped and the elevator hung tilted at an angle with the bottom corner of one side bumped up against the side wall. Debris from the floors above it had crashed into the ceiling, covering the floor and any occupants of the car. Using her heat vision, Kara was able to make out two people lying on the floor of the elevator, Lena and her assistant, Eve.

"Lena and Eve are on the elevator." Kara pushed James back, away from the doors. "Stand back, that other cable might snap at any moment."

She flew down to the elevator and softly landed inside the cab. The shift in the weight caused the cab to sway and lightly bounce against the wall. Kara adjusted her body position to try to accommodate for the movement. Once the cab came to a rest, she surveyed the situation. Both women appeared to be unconscious. Debris had fallen on them and even though it wasn't an insurmountable amount, it would be a trick to get them out without causing the cab to move and snap the cable. She determined that it was the least disrupted to take Eve out first as she had the least about of debris around her.

As carefully as she could, Kara stepped to Eve and gingerly lifted her out of the rubble. She flew Eve up to where James was waiting. She had just laid her unconscious body on the floor when the cable holding the elevator snapped, sending the cab plunging to the ground.

"Lena!" Kara flew back into the elevator shaft and down to the cab, notching up her speed when the cab picked up momentum. About four floors above ground level, she caught up to the cab, grabbed hold of the cable that dangled in the air behind it, slowed its drop and lightly placed it on the ground floor. Kara maneuvered her way back into the cab, cleared the debris off of Lena, pried open the elevator doors and flew her out to a waiting stretcher on the street.

"Please take care of her," she told the paramedic who began taking her vitals. She then flew back up to retrieve James and Eve and deliver them both to medical personnel.

"James, I have to go back up and help get out any remaining people," Kara told him after setting him on the ground. "Once I finish, I will meet you at the hospital." She then flew back to the damaged floors.

* * *

Alex climbed out of the DEO issued SUV parked in front of the hospital. The sidewalk in front of the hospital entrance was swarming with reporters, waiting like dogs to be thrown any scrap of information from hospital personnel, and with police officers trying to hold them back. She drew in a deep breath, adjusted her weapons holster and stuck her phone into her back pocket. She knew that, at the age of 27, her youth and smaller stature could make it difficult to maintain the air of authority that was needed as the next in command of the DEO. But, she didn't let that stop her. She had learned years ago that squared shoulders, a direct gaze and sheer intensity would compensate for her age and allow her to be able to dominate any agent, suspect or intrusive reporter. And she had become quite adept in the technique. However, right now, the last hour that she had just spent on the hot streets of National City to assist the local authorities in clearing the bombing area was beginning to drain her resolve.

She thrust her shoulders back, pushed up as tall as her 5'6" frame would allow and purposely strode past the crowd, by the officers and into the hospital lobby, without questioning or challenge. The lobby was a fury of activity. Patients in various level of injury from the explosion were scattered throughout the hallway and lobby area. From her years as an agent, Alex generally thought that she possessed a strong stomach and resolve to seeing blood, injury and mayhem but, the image of so many people, everyday citizens, with such severity of wounds along with their shell-shocked, exhausted faces made even her check her stride.

As she passed the main lobby area, she caught sight of James' head towering over the crowd by the emergency waiting room. His arm was harnessed in a sling and he had multiple bandages scattered across his forehead. He was deep in conversation with a nurse so, Alex waited for their conversation to end before she made her way to him.

"Hey, how are you?" She asked.

"Alex. Hey. I'm fine."

"Really?" she asked. "You don't look that great," she said, nodding to his immobile arm and glancing up to his forehead.

"Oh this?" He replied, looking down at his arm. "This is nothing," he shot a glance around the lobby, "compared to everyone else."

Alex followed his gaze. "Yeah. It's pretty desolating." As her eyes lit on each victim, she tried to imagine the terror that they must have gone through. One minute, sitting in an office chair, contemplating news articles, layouts and editorials and the next minute, that world being completely shattered into the violence left behind after an explosion. She shuddered.

"What's the DEO doing down here? Do you think the attack was alien initiated?" James asked.

Alex shook her head. "No, we're just helping out. Interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence," she told him. "What about you?"

"Lena. She's-".

"James!" Kara's voice came from behind them.

Both Alex and James turned to see Kara quickly approaching them, her body carrying remnants of the wreckage that she had just left -blonde strands of hair peeking through large streaks of grey, her suit a bruised color of red, blue and black, and a face smudged and strained.

"How's Lena?"

"Hey, Kara. She's in with the doctors now. I'm still waiting to hear specifics but, the nurse who just gave me an update said that she was suffering from smoke inhalation and had a head injury," James replied.

"That's all they said?" She frowned. "I would have thought they would know more by now." She took in a deep breath and, only just noticing Alex, turned to her. "Alex, what are you doing here?"

"We were called in to assist," Alex replied. "Were you able to get everyone out of CatCo?"

"Yeah, we did," Kara said. Her mind drifted back to the scene on the blown out floors. "There were so many that we weren't able to help though," she added softly.

She looked around at the patients who were scattered throughout the area. So many faces that she hadn't had the chance earlier to really examine, now took shape. Her co-workers, her friends. People that she sat next to in meetings, shared short conversations with during an elevator ride after work or sat with during a break in the day.

She let out a sigh.

For a moment, no one spoke. They just looked at each other, letting the day's events assault their memories.

A news report on the television behind Alex and James caught Kara's attention. They followed her gaze, turning to listen to the broadcaster.

 _ **Newscaster**_ _:_

 _This afternoon, CatCo Inc., was the site of a devastating bombing._ _Early reports have been limited in information but, officials have told us that at least two floors of the building were completely destroyed by the blast. Numbers are still coming in but, there is confirmation that there are numerous injuries, many critical, and at least ten fatalities so far. Rescue attempts by firefighters were hampered due to blocked stairways and inoperable elevators. Witnesses stated that they saw Supergirl on the scene, assisting with the injured, which seemed almost unreal given the earlier events of the day._

 _As many saw on this station this afternoon, an anonymous call was placed into our studio by the alleged bomber before the bomb detonated. In that call, which we broadcast live, the bomber stated that he would release details on the the bomb's location if Supergirl arrived at our station in time. But, when a multitude of pleas to reach Supergirl went unanswered and the time elapsed, the bomb exploded leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Which leaves us with questions. Where was Supergirl? Why were we abandoned during one of our most desperate times? And, can the citizens of National City continue to depend on Supergirl to protect us in the future?_

All heads in the room turned to Kara, unspoken accusations written across their face. Kara's own face blanched, registering the confusion and turmoil that she felt cross her heart. She turned to Alex and James.

"What-what are they talking about? What call?" She stammered, trying to ignore the stares of reproach that were biting into her. She glanced back and forth between Alex and James in a search for answers.

Her desperate gaze rattled James and afraid of betraying his own emotion of doubt, he turned his head to avoid her eyes .

Alex, of course, was aware of the events that had occurred earlier in the day. She was the one who had taken over in the search for Kara when the bomber called, when Winn's attempt to contact Kara over her COMMs had failed and when Kara's tracker wasn't showing any movement. However, they weren't given much time and when the bomb went off and all hell broke loose, she had gotten swept into the mania, forced to momentarily push her concerns about Kara aside while she dealt with the tragedy at hand. But, that wasn't something that Alex could just DO and so, when Kara's voice finally came across the COMM's, her mind was able to slow down and she was finally able to breathe a little easier knowing Kara was okay.

And now here she was, watching Kara bite at her lip and push her elbows in, grabbing hold of her sides and Alex knew that that relief had been short-lived. All was not okay.

She grabbed Kara by the elbow and led her around the corner, away from the prying eyes.

"There was a call before the bomb went off, presumably from the bomber," Alex said. "He was willing to provide details on the bomb's location on the condition that you showed up at the news station. He only gave us a five minute window of time, Kara, and when we were unable to locate you within that time limit, he detonated the bomb."

 _We are the reason for their destruction._

Kara didn't respond, only dropped her eyes, almost seeming to recede into herself. Her chest expanded and the sigh that followed dripped with weariness and defeat.

Alex shook Kara's shoulder. "Talk to me, Kara," she pleaded. "You fall out of the sky and can't remember anything about it and then you go missing for 20 minutes, losing a suspect in the process. What's going on?"

Kara finally looked up and met Alex's eyes. Confusion and despair had settled into them and Alex just wanted nothing more than to pull her in and tell her that everything was going to be okay. But, she couldn't. She needed Kara to realize the severity of the situation.

Kara stared at Alex, trying to make sense of the events of the last couple of days and find a way to explain something that she herself didn't understand. "I don't know, Alex. I'll be in the middle of a rescue or - or a task of some type and I have these - these blackouts." She sputtered. Admitting to a weakness pushed Kara out of her comfort zone and she looked away from Alex. "I don't know what causes them but, during it I end up somewhere on Krypton. With my family and friends." She looked back at Alex. "I know that it's all in my mind but, it feels so real, like I'm right there with them." The emotions of the last couple of days boiled to the surface, forcing her eyes to well up with tears. She sniffled and wiped away at them.

Alex drew in a breath. Kara's pain was always her pain, too. "It sounds kind of like what happened to you with Psi," she said, "but she's locked up." She thought for a moment. "Do you think it's a residual from your experience with her?"

Kara shook her head. "No- no, I don't think so. It's not the same. When I'm there, I -".

 _I destroyed Krypton but, you can save your family and friends. We are a danger to their existence. They will die if we continue to walk among them._ Kara met Alex's gaze. _She will die._

The thought sent a cold shiver up Kara's back. "I don't know." She lowered her head. "It's just different."

James came up to them. "I'm sorry to interrupt but, Kara the nurse came back out. They've put Lena in a room. She's awake and they said that we have a few minutes now that we can go in and see her."

"Okay." Kara turned to follow James.

Alex grabbed her arm. "Kara wait a minute. When you finish here, I want you at the DEO so, we can run some more tests."

"Alex, I-"

"No. No excuses." Alex demanded. "We need to figure this out. Together."

Kara pursued her lips, nodded and left.

After she left, Alex pulled out her phone and searched her contacts. "Winn," she said when the other end picked up. "I want you to do a search of the area where Kara was last located at during that car chase today. Pull up any surveillance video that you can find and see if there is footage of her encounter with the suspects. I have a few things that I need to wrap up here and then I'll be there."

Alex slipped the phone back into her pocket and headed to the nurses station down the hall. As she turned to leave, a woman sitting along the wall, listening in on the conversation followed her movements.

 _The agent. The sister. The other end of a seemingly indestructible thread that binds the hearts of the two. Deceivingly innocent, resourceful and unwavering in her protection. A threat to our existence. When a premonition as powerful as this exists, it cannot be ignored._


	6. Chapter 6

Kara followed James through the maze of hospital corridors to Lena's room. She had changed out of her suit and cleaned up so that at least now she didn't have to feel the glances laced with condemnation from passers by. James was talking, rambling really, about the difficulties that would be ahead in trying to maintain CatCo, to gather staff, to get stories put together and try to reassure and restore confidence. Acknowledging everything but, saying nothing. Nothing about the physical destruction of their workplace. Nothing about the injuries and deaths of their co-workers. Nothing about her role in those deaths. _I'm the one who he demanded. The one who was the tool in his demented plan_. _The one who was expected to save them. The one who killed them_.

With every step, her jaw clenched tighter and the acid that churned inside increased and burned a hole in her stomach.

They arrived at Lena's room and James pushed through the door, stopping to hold it open for her. Kara paused outside the room. How was she expected to continue to face these people, let alone her best friend who had been caught up in the explosion and was now lying in a hospital bed?

She looked up at James, suddenly aware that he was still standing, patiently holding the door open, watching her. He had surely seen her anguish. Her guilt. But, he said nothing. She walked by him and into the room.

Lena was resting in the hospital bed. A large gauze covered the left corner of her forehead and a tube of oxygen ran up into her airways. Her eyes were closed but, when Kara and James entered, she opened them.

"Kara. James," she weakly greeted them.

"Hey," Kara walked to her bed and reached down and gave her a hug. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, well, you know." Lena raised her arm off the bed a little, giving a slight wave, "I'm okay." Her voice was obviously hoarse and a bit broken from the intake of too much smoke from the blast but, her fierce pride would not allow for any opening of self-pity or sympathy. She reached up to lightly touch the bandage. "The doctors said I was lucky and that it's just a severe concussion. I guess having a hard head is one of the only benefits of being a Luthor," she let out a dry chuckle. She looked back to James who had moved further into the room and was now hovering at the foot of the bed. She noticed his sling and bandages.

"James, you're hurt?" She asked.

"Nah, not too bad." He brushed it off.

Lena nodded. She turned her head to Kara and cleared her throat. "And you, Kara Danvers, you appear to be unscathed. Are you okay?" She asked.

Kara pushed up her glasses on her nose and crossed her arms. "Uh, yeah. I was doing an interview when -", she started and hesitated, "um, when it happened," she said, her voice trailing off.

Lena nodded. "Well, I'm glad that you're okay."

They waited for a moment in silence as they contemplated the events of the day. The only sound was the beeping of the machine monitoring Lena's heart.

"So, do we have a number count yet?" Lena hesitantly asked.

James shook his head. "No, not a definite one. But, it's going to be high." He looked at Kara apologetically. "We know that there were quite a few injuries and some deaths that have been reported already."

"I see," Lena quietly said and looked down at her hands. "Well, I would like a detailed report as soon as we get one. I want to know who was injured and the extent of their injuries." Her voice grew in strength as she began to focus on what needed to be done and how she could help. "I also want a contact list for the families of those that didn't make it."

"Of course," James replied. "I would like to be there when you make those calls."

Kara stared at the floor as they discussed the plans. She couldn't get the faces from the lounge out of her mind. Those angry, deploring eyes boring into her.

"I assume that this was the bomb that was called in earlier." Lena statement broke into Kara's thoughts and she pulled her head up to look at Lena.

"Yes, we believe so." James responded.

"Any word from Supergirl?" Lena asked, looking back and forth between Kara and James.

Kara flinched. Even though there wasn't a hint of accusation behind Lena's voice, Kara just knew that there was disapproval behind the question and the guilt tightened a fist around her throat.

She only shook her head, not trusting her voice.

"She was there, afterward," James stepped in. "She helped me get out and was the one who rescued you and Eve from the elevator. If she hadn't been there when that cable snapped…" His words drifted off and he glanced over to Kara. "She saved a lot of others, too."

Kara hugged herself, trying to suppress the shaking that had started to take over her body.

"Well, there has to be a reasonable explanation as to why they couldn't get in touch with her," Lena said. "I know that if it were at all possible, she would have been there," she stated firmly.

"I'm sorry. I - I need to go," Kara stuttered. She looked at her wristwatch and haphazardly pulled at it. She reached down and grabbed her purse off the chair behind her. "There's - I need to follow-up on an interview" she stuttered. "I'll stop back and see you later," she said to Lena and quickly slid out of the room before either Lena or James had a chance to respond.

* * *

Alex drove with her windows down and the warm breeze blowing into the SUV. She had just left the hospital where she had spent the last few hours interviewing victims of the bombing and the doctors who had treated the wounded and dead. Even though the temperature of the afternoon was sultry, she couldn't shake the chill that had entered her body during the interviews. The heat gave her something that she could feel. Something to remind her that she was still alive.

She drove in silence, switching off the radio when she entered the vehicle to minimize any distractions. She needed to think. The hospital staff and victims had been very eager to help but, Alex knew that the information that she had gathered wouldn't lead them any closer to the suspect. They would have to find a lead elsewhere. They would need to look deeper than witness statements and physical evidence. They would need to find a motive. And Alex's mind was already digesting the facts. The fact that the bomber had asked for Supergirl, given them only a few minutes to find her and the fact that Supergirl had been missing previously had been gnawing at her since the news report came across the television in the hospital. Whereas Kara had only seen accusations and guilt in the broadcast, Alex had seen a series of events that seemed to go beyond coincidence and that sent her mind spinning a theory, one that hit close to home.

Alex reached to the touchscreen on the console of the vehicle and pushed the phone icon. "Call Winn."

"Talk to me, Alex," came the voice from the other end of the line when the call went through.

"Winn, did you happen to find anything regarding that request I made earlier?"

"It just so happens that I did. Because of my superior skills of scouring the resources of the techno world, I was able to acquire a very obscure video," he relayed. She could hear the creak of the chair and imagined him leaning back in it, placing his hands behind his head. "From now on, you can just start calling me the Hans Solo of The DEO Strikes Back," he told her.

"More like R2D2," Alex mumbled.

"Hey! I don't think I like what you're implying."

"Winn, focus. What did you find out?" She pushed out over a litany of objections that continued to come across the line.

"Well, the cleanest one that I was able to find shows that something definitely weird went down. Like _Thor:Ragnarok_ level weird. But, the image isn't the clearest in the world. It's a CATV reception from an outdoor surveillance camera located in the alley." He said. "We're still working on trying to get a better copy of it."

"Okay, I'm on my way back now." She pinched at the bridge of her nose. She had missed lunch and her head was beginning to ache from the lack of food, along with the stress of the day. Noonan's restaurant came into her view. "I'm going to stop and grab something to eat first," she added.

Alex ended the conversation and pulled the SUV into a parking spot in front of Noonan's. The pounding in her head intensified and the sunlight that struck her eyes as she got out of the vehicle didn't help. She put her head down, focusing on just making her way into the restaurant.

In her lapse of concentration, she failed to notice the blue sedan that had been following her since she left the hospital and that had pulled up behind her vehicle. Inside the car, a man and a woman watched her exit the vehicle and enter the building. After a few minutes, they reached into a bag in the backseat of the car before heading for the restaurant.

Alex was sitting at a table not too far away from the door, sipping on a glass of water and scanning a menu when the two individuals entered the room. Both the couple and their entrance into the restaurant were unremarkable so, it took Alex by surprise when there was a sudden cry of alarm by the restaurant manager. She looked up and the flash from the explosion that quickly followed made Alex recoil. She stumbled backward, out of her chair and onto the floor. She laid on her back, stunned and stared at the ceiling. She felt a cold liquid soaking her shirt and a ringing pierced her ears. The room was filled with a metallic smell and smoke drifted across the air above her. She blinked and slowly turned her head toward the doorway of the restaurant. From under the table, she saw a man and a woman standing by the entry. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. She watched as the woman walked to one side of the room, hunting down confused and scrambling patrons. Alex's eyes drifted back to the man, still standing by the doorway. He was scanning the room when he saw Alex on the floor and caught her eye. He began walking toward her position.

"Supergirl," Alex whispered.

Kara pushed open the door to her apartment, threw her purse on the kitchen chair, leaned against the table and hung her head. The last few days were beginning to physically and emotionally wear on her body. She had lied to Lena and James about needing to be somewhere. She didn't have a meeting that she had to be at. She just needed to get out. To find air so she could begin to breathe again.

The room felt stuffy and unbearably hot. Even though temperatures didn't really affect her, the stale air in the room made the task of breathing even more difficult. She trudged over to the thermostat to determine the source of the problem.

"85 degrees," she muttered, "why is it so hot?" She tapped on the thermostat and looked around the room. _Is the air not working?_ She stepped to the windows, unlatched one and threw it open. The warm breeze hit her face and she took in a deep breath. The sun's rays and the fresh air massaged her body and loosened some of the tension that she had been feeling. _Why can't life and all it's problems be solved this easily_? She stood for a few minutes, reaping in the sunlight.

Alex had told her to go to the DEO but, the idea of facing more people questioning her dependability was not something that Kara could bear at the moment. She needed to regroup, regain control and find her focus. She walked to the couch and threw herself down on it. _If only I hadn't blacked out. If only these people were more self-…_

She didn't want to complete the thought. She didn't know where these continual dislocations of her mind were stemming from but, their presence was beginning to split her body and her mind. She lifted her arm up over her eyes, trying to block out the images of the day.

As she laid there, a small dust cloud blew in through the windows. It floated across the ceiling and spread throughout the area, stopping to hover over Kara's still form. It sat there for a few seconds before funneling down and infiltrating her nasal passages. The assault startled Kara and she pulled her arm away from her eyes and sat up. The room began to spin and very quickly the familiar darkness set in, reality floated away and she fell back to the couch.

 _I am standing at the base of a tall, paper white building that stretched to the sky with elongated support structures that flare out from the building to resemble propellers on a plane. All around me, I see similar abstract buildings that tower above a city. I realize that, again, I am on Krypton and this vast building in front of me is where I live._

 _The ground violently shakes below me and suddenly I am aware that the streets are filled with crowds of people frantically running away from me, towards the outskirts of the city. I watch as a small crack emerges on the opposite side of the concrete road. It slices down the street toward the fleeing people like a snake slithering after its prey, opening its jaws wider as it moves, devouring those in its path. Like stacked dominoes, their bodies fall into the red hot molten rock that shoots out of the beast, their screams echoing off of the walls of the crevice. I stand - frozen. I cannot scream. I cannot breathe._

 _My mind races to my parents inside the building. Struggling to stay up right as the ground continues to rumble, I turn to face the entrance of my building when I am hit and thrown to the ground by a group of frightened people rushing out of it. "No!" I am able to scream as I fall. I land and I am instantly bombarded by trampling feet trying to get over me. I turn onto my side, cover my head with my arms and pull my legs into my body to make myself as small as possible. The concrete is hot and begins to burn at my face. I begin to lose consciousness when suddenly, a hand wraps around my arm and pulls me off the ground. I lift my head and see my family neighbor, Kyl-Ze standing next to me._

" _You need to come with us," he tells me. I look around him and see his wife Myra, his daughter Kem and her younger brother Mar._

 _I have to get to my parents, I tell him. But, he shakes his head. "No, they're not there. We need to go. Now!" He yells. He grabs my arm and pulls me down the street. We run as fast as we can through the city, avoiding debris falling from the buildings and the craters that emerge out of the earth. Out of the corner of my eye, I see buildings collapse and families vanish, swallowed up by the serpent twisting through the ground. We finally reach a small, undamaged park on the outside of the city and we stop._

 _What is happening? I ask._

 _Kyl-Ze turns to me. "This is the destruction of Krypton, Kara Zor-El," he tells me. "This is what happened to our planet - to those of us that were left behind." He turned and looked back toward the city that was consumed in fire. "This is what your father did to our planet. To us." His eyes shifted to his family standing beside him. "This is where we died."_

"Supergirl," _a familiar voice cuts through the air. I sweep my head around the park, trying to find the source but, no one emerges. I look back at Kyl-Ze who stands eerily still, staring at me._

Alex watched the man making his way across the room. He began raising the gun to line it up with her position on the floor. _Move it, Danvers!_ Her brain finally clicks. She reached up to the edge of the table and pulled it down so that it created a barrier between her and him. She heard the thud of a bullet slamming into the table and saw splinters of wood fly off the edge. She pulled her feet up and under her and pushed her hands onto the floor so she could get into a squatting position behind the table. Her hand grabbed for the gun she usually kept in her waistband behind her back but, found only empty air.

She slowly eased her head forward to peer around the table. The man was almost on top of her. _Think_! She turned her head to scrutinize her surroundings. An overturned chair was next to her. She grabbed the back of it and slid it close to her body as she listened for the man's footsteps to close in. The sound of a foot stepping on broken glass sent her exploding off the floor, slamming the chair into the man's torso, surprising him and sending him crashing to the floor.

Alex quickly turned and sprinted straight for the corner of the bar. If I can just get to the bar, I have a chance, she thought. I can -

The bullet slammed into the back of her right shoulder, sending her pitching forward, sprawling onto the floor next to the bar. She lifted her head and glanced behind her. The man had recovered and was now on his knees, attempting to get off the floor. She turned her head back. _The bar is so close._ Alex reached out in front of her with her left arm and pulled her knee under her to propel herself along the floor. The second bullet hit her right side just as she slid around the corner of the bar.

"Supergirl," she whispered in anguish once more.

 _The skyline of the city is a vision of fire and smoke. The ground below us rumbles with anger once again. Its destruction slowly walks towards us, detonating the earth and shooting up wreckage and fire with each step. A violent explosion booms in my ear, sending me to the ground. I slowly lift my body off the smoke laced ground. Cries pierce the air and I turn my head to the source. Kyl-Ze and his daughter lie at the edge a large crater in the ground. His wife and son are gone. The ground around them begins to crumble. His daughter screams as she begins to slide over the edge. He looks at me, seemingly unbothered by the danger. "My family is gone and soon yours will be, too." I try to get to my feet to save them but, the ground shakes and I stumble back to my knees. When I look up, they are gone. No! I scream._

"Supergirl, _" the voice calls out again. Its familiarity resonating within my soul._

Alex reached for the shelf behind the bar to help pull herself into a sitting position. Her chest heaved and her body throbbed. She pushed a hand onto the wound on her side, trying to hold in the blood that was gushing out. The room tilted and she leaned against the bar to steady herself. She could hear people screaming, gunshots ringing out and tables crashing from the other side of the bar. She didn't know what these people wanted but, from the carnage that was taking place, it was obvious that they weren't going to leave anyone alive.

"Supergirl, where are you?" She breathed.

"Supergirl can't help you," a voice called from above the bar.

Alex crooked her head up to the side. The man who had pursued her peered down at her.

* * *

 **A/N:** I want to thank everyone who has stopped by and left a reply. I hope that you are enjoying the story and if, you would like, leave a comment to let me know your thoughts so far. Thanks again!


	7. Chapter 7

A drumming noise, echoing from somewhere beyond, drew Kara out of her head. She blinked. For just a moment - one small beat of her heart, time stood still. Shadows swooped across shadows along the ceiling, sunlight streamed against the wall and floor registers hummed. Then, a film swept across her cornea and the images came.

The molten rock spouting up from the ground. The wall of yellow flames. The maddening howls. The cold stare. The panicked screams.

The horror reached into her body and stole her breath. She couldn't suck in air deeply enough and she twisted in panic, thrashing like an animal on the couch. Stumbling off it onto the floor. Clinging to the rug like a woman dangling over an abyss. She breathed in and out but air wouldn't enter her lungs. Her mind clawed desperately at her subconscious to tear it away and expose reality. She squeezed her eyes shut, pulled her knees up under her chest and methodically began rocking back and forth.

"Supergirl."

Alex's plea pierced her ears and slammed into her mind, shattering the remnants of the shell that surrounded the latent images to break her free. She lifted her head and whipped it around trying to take in everything but, seeing nothing.

"Alex?" She gasped.

Using the coffee table, she pulled herself up and struggled to her feet, swaying back and forth as she rose. Her legs were heavy and sluggish, her muscles spent. She took a step and fell back to the floor.

"Supergirl," Alex's voice cried to her again.

 _That's it. I'm going to die_. Alex thought as she stared up at the man and waited for the gun's blast. Her eyes remained fixed on his face. She dared not look at the gun. She didn't want to see the bullet coming. And she wanted him to see her lack of fear.

But, he hesitated.

"Supergirl no longer cares about this world. She's abandoned you," the man told her.

His egotistical gloat was the opening that Alex needed to buy some time. She shook her head. "No. You're wrong." she countered.

"Even now", he smirked as he waved the gun, "you still believe in her?"

The pain in Alex's side deepened. She looked down at the wound and noticed that the blood was spilling past her hand, running freely, its crimson color spreading and soaking her pants. She pressed harder onto the wound and sucked in a deep breath. The room began to sway but, she pushed through it and glared back up at him.

"Yes," she hissed through gritted teeth. "Always."

"Haven't you watched the news? She promised to protect this city and she hasn't. She's abandoned us and now she is abandoning you, Agent Danvers."

 _He knows my name_.

She stared back at him. Trying not to blink, to physically acknowledge this revelation. "You're delusional. This is her home. She will come and she will save us," Alex pressed.

But, she could see it in his eyes. He was aware that he had made a mistake and realized that Alex had registered it.

Her time had run out.

His finger began to squeeze down on the trigger. But, in that instant a force blurred in red and blue slammed into the man's torso, lifting him off the floor and across the room.

Kara and the man landed in some overturned tables along the far wall of the restaurant. She quickly fought her way out of the pile of rubble to her feet and reached down and grabbed the man's shirt collar. She lifted his torso toward her, balled up her fist and laid a punch across his cheekbone, throwing him to the floor unconscious.

The act left her surprisingly breathless and as she stepped away from the man, she nearly stumbled in the process before quickly regaining her balance. She turned to find the man's partner standing across the room, brandishing a weapon and watching Kara. The woman's face was unreadable, no fear or concern. In a frozen second, her eyes flicked down to her partner on the floor by Kara and then to Kara. And suddenly Kara understood the coldness.

"No!" She started toward the woman. But, her awareness came too late. Swiftly, the woman brought the gun up to her head and pulled the trigger. The act halted Kara in her tracks. She turned away. Death was never a solution for her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Alex was slumped over behind the bar.

"Alex!" Kara ran to her.

Alex's eyes were closed, her chin resting on her chest. Kara bent down beside her, surveyed Alex's body, taking in the bullet hole in the back shoulder and on her side. She placed her own palm on top of Alex's and pressed down to try and help slow the bleeding.

At her touch, Alex lifted her head and opened her eyes to find Kara's.

"Knew you would come," she heaved.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get here sooner." Kara said.

She looked up to quickly survey the rest of the room. Dust swirled through the late afternoon sun that broke through the area and illuminated the injured crawling among the cemetery of furniture and fallen bodies. Whimpering cries were drowned out by the crashing of glass from authoritative voices barking orders to contain the area.

"Not. Your. Fault," Alex's breathless whisper pulled Kara's head back down. Her eyes stared into Alex's glassy chestnut one's. She swallowed her guilt and shifted her attention to the pool of blood that was spreading under Alex's body.

"We need to get you to the DEO," she muttered. She scooped Alex up and carried her past the medical and police personnel that were swarming into the building.

* * *

 _Today we feel strong._ _We've watched with a hungry gaze and nibbled at the surface._ _She is a wounded beast. A witness to death. To the pain and horror of it. Feels it seeping inside of her, breaking the walls and sending her body crumbling, folding into itself. And now, she is waiting to be claimed. Desperate to find relief._

 _Death is necessary for life and tonight she will come to us and we will offer her relief._

* * *

Kara sat vigil at Alex's bedside in the small area within the DEO infirmary. The room was quiet but, even without super hearing she could hear the sounds of a normal day at the DEO: the ringing of a cell phone, the chime of the elevator, the laughter of agents sharing a joke. They reminded Kara that in the aftermath of tragedy, life still went on.

She watched as the attendant recorded vitals and adjusted Alex's bed before quietly walking away. _So many tubes_ , she thought. And in the middle of the twisting, plastic pieces laid a very pale Alex. Kara didn't touch her but rather sat with her hands curled in her lap, staring at Alex with vacant eyes, her mind numb with cold and exhaustion. Death and destruction had been pursuing her and now it had caught up with her, cutting deep and festering within her.

 _This can't continue._

Dr. Hamilton had told her that Alex's condition was stable. The bullet didn't hit any major organs and they had been able to stop the bleeding in time. But, this was Alex. The part of her that was most loved and that had almost been ripped away from her.

Alex's eyes fluttered open.

"Alex," Kara whispered.

Alex's eyes tracked around the room, trying to push past the effects of the pain medication and get a better grip on her surroundings. They finally landed on Kara.

Kara leaned in closer. She smiled and her eyes softened. "Hey." She reached up and rested her hand on Alex's arm. "You're at the DEO. You're going to be okay."

"Shooter?" Alex asked, her voice thick.

"Got 'em."

Alex closed her eyes and fell silent. She could feel herself being dragged down, back into a worry-free sleep. She forced her eyes to open.

"Casualties?"

Kara swallowed. "Some survived," she murmured. The evidence of death still fresh in her mind.

Alex nodded. Through the impending numbness overtaking her body came an urgency of something that she needed to remember. Words that had been spoken. But, the door to her mind began to close and her eyelids dropped back down.

Kara watched Alex drift back into sleep.

"You know, she'll get through this."

Kara looked up to see J'onn standing in the infirmary doorway. She rose from her chair and walked to him. When she stood before him under the light, J'onn was taken aback at her beleaguered features: sallow cheeks and sunken, haunted eyes.

"Yes. This time," she replied.

"She is fully aware of the dangers that come in this line of work. And just like you, she chooses to go out there and help as many as she can anyway."

"This isn't a consequence of being an agent, J'onn. None of those that were injured and killed in that restaurant or at CatCo signed up for this." She looked back at Alex's still form. "They were victims."

 _Of me_.

She glanced back at J'onn, eyes searching for answers to unasked questions. She brushed by him and out of the DEO.

* * *

Threads of red, blue and violet filled the night sky, leaving only a sliver of orange on the horizon by the time Kara flew out of the DEO. Amber lights glowing from windows and street lamps mingled with the silver stars of the night on the National City skyline. Kara hung in the sky, watching as the city came to a rest, families reuniting for the evening, sharing their day and relishing in the moments with each other. These short glimpses used to give her joy and comfort now brought pain and regret.

 _Ignorance and naivety blinds these people. Crippling them just as it did my own people._

"Supergirl, we've received a call of a robbery in progress at the Longshore Warehouse on Pier Drive," Winn's voice crackled through the COMMs. "Multiple shots have been detected and police are on the scene."

 _Another crime, another cry for help, another injury or death_. _When does it end?_

"Supergirl?" Winn inquired.

"Yeah, I'm on my way now." Kara replied.

Kara landed outside of the warehouse. The building was dark and appeared to be undisturbed. No police cruisers or other emergency vehicles were in sight.

"Winn, are you sure they said Longshore Warehouse? It seems pretty quiet here." Kara walked around the outside of the building, surveying it for a forced entrance.

"Yep, Longshore Warehouse on Pier Drive." Winn responded.

A man's voice yelled for help from within the building. Kara's head snapped to the sound. "I got something." Using her x-ray vision, she was able to see a figure of a man lying on the floor inside the building. She broke the handle on the nearest door and pushed her way through it.

The door led her into a large depository. At the end of the room, alongside a row of large cartons, the man was on his stomach, writhing in pain. Kara ran to him.

"Sir, are you okay?" She bent down next to him.

The man turned toward onto his side. "Yes, Kara Zor-El. Now that you're here, everything is fine."

Kara scowled at him. "How- who are you? What's going on?"

As the man made his way to his feet, Kara stepped away from him.

"Don't you recognize me?" He asked. Kara frowned and the man chuckled. "No, of course you don't. Surely though, you recognize my voice."

Something shifted inside of her. A sense of familiarity prickled the back of her neck. _No, that can't be._

She shook her head. "No - no, I don't."

"Come now, Kara. You never were good a lying," the man smiled. "Not when you were a little girl and not now."

 _It's impossible_. Seconds passed, her brain was trying to take it in, struggling to comprehend what she was hearing.

"Uncle Jor-El?" She hesitantly replied.

"Yes."

"But, how? How are you here?"

"I'm here because you need me. And it's not just me, Kara Zor-El. We're all here." The man turned away from her and peered into the darkness behind him.

Kara watched as men and women slowly stepped out of the shadows of the room. Each one greeting her in voices that had been silent to her for fifteen years.

"No. This isn't right. It's - it's impossible." Kara's eyes darted from the large group to the man standing before her. "You're all gone. You're not real." Her voice trailed slowly. _What the hell was going on here?_

"Oh, we're very real, Kara."

Kara swung her head to see a slender man with flinted hair and high cheekbones stepping out from behind the group. He approached her. "Yes, you may have lost us for awhile but, we're here now."

Kara staggered backward, almost tumbling in the process, her mind swirling, her breath shallow.

She glanced nervously between the man and the group before finally resting on the man.

"Dad?" She whispered.


End file.
